Conventional permanent wall systems utilized in building structures often consist of a stud frame typically made of wood or steel upon both sides of which an appropriate facing or covering--plaster, dry wall, gypsum board or other material--is vertically mounted. Wood stud frames are commonly utilized for residential and light commercial construction, while steel stud frames are frequently employed in commercial applications requiring greater strength, fire rating, or other attributes which steel imparts to the structure. Wood is susceptible to water and insect damage, rotting and fire. In fact, in many locations the use of wood stud framing is prohibited for some applications by building codes for safety reasons.
In applications where conventional wood or steel stud framing is employed, somewhat improved resistance to sound transmission ( increased sound transmission loss) can be achieved by incorporating an appropriate insulation material in the stud cavity. The stud cavity being defined herein as encompassing the total air space between and surrounding the stud framing once an appropriate facing or covering is mounted thereto.
For certain applications the use of conventional stud framing incorporating insulation within the wall cavity does not adequately reduce the transmission of sound through the wall because the framing itself permits the transmission of sound and vibrations through the wall. Accordingly, there is a need for a wall system utilizing steel or wood stud framing and having a substantially improved sound transmission loss. Such a system would be particularly useful in situations in which the use of steel is required or called for and where it is desirable to minimize the transmission of sound, noise or vibration from one room into an adjacent room, for example in a multiplex movie theater complex in which patrons in adjacent theaters separated only by a wall are watching different movies.
During the past few decades many multiplex movie theater complexes have been constructed throughout North America. These complexes often contain six, eight or more discrete screening rooms frequently separated by only a wall. These complexes have virtually replaced the traditional American movie house which often had only one large screening area. Frequently, the wall systems utilized in multiplex theaters have limited sound transmission loss thereby enabling the patrons watching a movie to hear the movie being shown in an adjacent room.
Another application for which such a system would be beneficial is a conference center in which various programs are taking place in adjacent rooms at the same time. Hotels, motels, apartment complexes and office buildings would also benefit if such a system were employed. Other uses or applications for such a wall system will be readily apparent to those interested in reducing the transmission of sound between rooms or areas separated by a wall.
Wall systems incorporating the use of either wood or steel stud framing will benefit from the use of the subject invention, although the invention is particularly beneficial in construction which utilizes steel framing.